In cold climates, and during winter months, the build-up of ice and snow on rail track, switching points and signals can cause severe disruption and worse, accidents or derailment. This is why operators of networks that endure such conditions invest heavily in heating systems and labour to maintain the operational integrity of their track. Traditionally, heating systems would maintain the track and points at a constant temperature a few degrees above freezing, or teams of people would work on call around-the-clock clearing snow and ice. The most susceptible parts of rail track to ice and snow build-up are switching points, which in turn can cause signalling systems to malfunction resulting in major disruption. Point heating systems help avoid this by:

1. Preventing the moving rail from freezing to the fixed rail

2. Preventing the moving rail from freezing to the side plates

3. Preventing the build-up of compact snow and ice between the switch and fixed rail.

Contingencies that require teams of people to work around-the-clock or systems that are working constantly to maintain track temperature, irrespective of the weather or outside temperature are clearly inefficient practices and a waste of valuable resources. There is an alternative; by using remote telemetry technology operators can reduce their energy consumption and labour costs while improving their service through minimising disruption. Using Servelec Technologies’ TBox range of remote telemetry units to automate, control and monitor their track and point heating system operators remove the need for an unnecessary ‘always on’ solution. This is exactly what SAN Railway Systems, a partner of Servelec Technologies, has been doing consistently for major operators throughout Europe.

Railway Heating Systems

CASE STUDY

BenefitsAutomated rail track heating systems provide a number of

tangible benefits to operators, the most important of which are the

additional safety and reliability of their service:

• Improved safety

Operators have a responsibility to provide a safe network for their

passengers. The build-up of snow and ice on key parts of the track

can cause accidents or derailments if it goes undetected.

• Increased reliability

Disruptions and delays to services cause significant reputational

damage to operators. Automated track heating systems prevent

problems occurring and therefore increase service reliability.

• Energy savings – 70%

TBox automated heating systems have been shown to reduce

energy consumption by up to 70% when compared to traditional

systems which are always on or operate by thermostat. As

significant saving for operators which provides a quick return on

investment.

• Maintenance savings

TBox devices log data and provide reports for equipment run

time and weather condition data to notify maintenance staff of an

approaching milestone. This saves operator s money by reducing

the number of site visits conducted for maintenance and inspection

purposes.

The Solution The TBox range of remote telemetry units (RTUs) are currently used in many installations to monitor

and automate railway heating systems that prevent build-up of ice and snow. Normally employed

at electrical switch points, these systems ensure the safety and reliability of many major networks

throughout Europe.

In addition to providing safety and reliability, automated heating systems provide major savings in

energy costs. Using a programmable device like TBox provides significant savings compared to

older techniques in which the heaters are either constantly on for the entire winter or operated by a

thermostat.

SAN Railway Systems, a Servelec Technologies integration partner in Denmark, has installed systems that

use TBox RTUs at remote locations, as part of their System Blue Point, which has helped operators make

savings of up to 70% compared to traditional methods. TBox RTUs do this by controlling the power to

heating elements based on parameters set by the operator including but not limited to current weather,

weather forecasts and rail temperatures so that the heating elements are working only when required.

TBox RTUs simultaneously collect and store data about power consumption and performance. The

historical reports, which are important for switching locations, include a variety of information of on-site

conditions and are used for maintenance purposes and improvements in operations.

Operators require timely notification of failures in heating equipment, temperature sensors, and weather

stations as well as timely notification of changing live conditions, particularly weather-related. The TBox

alarm management system informs operators and escalates reporting if acknowledgement does not come

through in a user-configured time.

For maintenance, equipment run time and weather condition data are combined into maintenance reports

and that allow the TBox devices to notify maintenance staff of an approaching milestone. This has helped

operators realise further savings by reducing the number of site visits conducted for maintenance and

inspection purposes. Historical information has proven invaluable for modifying operations in order to

increase efficiency. SAN Railway Systems optimised settings based on historical information and took this

capability a step further by employing on-line tuning of individual control parameters. With the instant status

provided by the communications network, users can view the live status across the entire system and

change settings in a matter of seconds.

The TBox programmable automation solution has allowed SAN Railway Systems to provide standard

applications with user-configurable parameters. Their intelligent, pre-programmed RTU application uses

input from cold and heated rail temperature sensors and a weather station. It controls up to eight switch

points and provides energy-optimised temperature settings and four weather modes.

The variety of communications interfaces in TBox has proven very important in railway applications.

Installed systems are using Ethernet, RS-485, GSM, and GSM/GPRS communications. In case of

communications failures, the TBox-based remote system operates independently as a stand-alone

controller.

Shown here, is a typical installation of the RTU equipment outdoors in a weatherproof enclosure along the Swiss railway. It shows the TBox RTU with a display, keypad and other equipment inside the enclosure.

sales.belgium@servelec-techologies.com

www.servelec-technologies.com

+32(0)2/387.42.59

/servelec-technologies

/servelectech

Contact Servelec Technologies

About TBoxServelec Technologies’ TBox devices are used throughout the world, in a wide variety of transport and

infrastructure applications. TBox RTUs have many key features which make them ideal for transport

applications, TBox:

• Monitors all conditions such as rail temperatures

and heater status as well as the weather. Weather

stations provide temperature, humidity, wind

speed, and a snowfall measurements.

• Provides programmable automation which

significantly reduces energy consumption by

operating heaters only when necessary and using

optimisation control.

• Integrates push technology which notifies

multiple recipients of alarms and anomalous live

conditions such as heater failures and escalates

alarm reports if not acknowledged.

• Efficiently uses public networks and minimises

transmissions by sending reports via e-mail, SMS

or FTP via IP only when required.

• Uses the communication network to allow for

rapid changing of configuration parameters.

• Serves web pages, which comprise a very low-

cost HMI for depiction of live and historical

information.

• Generates historical reports and trends which

are used for system maintenance and to improve

efficiency.

Servelec Technologies’ TBox all-in-one architecture can reduce installation costs by up to 50% over

configurations that combine PLC, communications and SCADA components. TBox integrates:

Innovative push and multi-platform web server technologies open up new possibilities. Users

have complete real-time access, to monitor and control applications with their mobile devices

and PCs - anytime and anywhere.

Supporting a broad array of communications protocols including Modbus, DNP3, DF1,

EtherNet/IP, IEC60870 and many others allows TBox to be dropped into traditional SCADA

networks.

Powerful automation capabilities.

Push notifications by email, FTP and SMS and sophisticated

alarm management.

Intelligent data logging.

Real-time, mobile access through a

standard web browser.

A built-in cyber-security suite with

state-of-the-art authentication and encryption

technology.